Hello Cyn,

Nice to meet you, too! I am sorry for your painful feet- I know how nagging it can become and mine have not been as bad for nearly as long as yours. I am wondering if you have had your thyroid checked by your Doctor? I am certain my neuropathy has something to do with having been untreated for autoimmune thyroiditis for a long time. I also have a 3.5 cm benign nodule in my thyroid which didn't develop overnight, but over years of not getting a check up because I was never "sick". I had neuropathy brewing along with allergies to food and early menopause. I was cold all the time, falling asleep inappropriately, (at the dinner table, and while driving! sometimes I even dropped my tea mug in my lap in the middle of the evening news- THAT is an eye opener), and my face and hands were so puffy. I had so much edema and weight gain which dropped away when I was finally treated. Even then, it wasn't overnight, but over at least six months. I thought the carpal tunnel and foot troubles got better when some of the swelling went down, but sometimes it comes back with cramping. My hand seizes up when I am washing dishes or knitting, etc, very painful charley horse spasms. Since I am being treated properly for the Thyroid problems, my Doctor is now thinking of other possible causes, like potassium, magnesium, B12 and D deficiencies. I am already getting all these through food and supplements, so I don't get why they could be the cause unless I am not absorbing them.
I really hope you can find a reason for your problems and can get some relief and treatment. I think some of it will always linger, at least in my case, but maybe it will get better or at least not worse. I know what you mean by being worried about pain meds. I am not taking anything but Benedryl on occassion at bed time because the feet keep waking me up. I have taken an advil when my hip gets bad, but only when I can't even sit down and can barely walk. I don't want to damage my liver. I am lucky that my joints are not chronically painful, but I worry they may become so in the future, so I do yoga and walk everyday to maintain them- my Dad always says as much as it hurts, it is worse if you stay still- you will freeze up like a tin man. I still remember my Lamaze breathing techniques but yoga ones are helpful, too. I think if your pain is really bad, you will have to consider that being in pain all the time escalates pain and makes it harder to relax or to get on with the rest of life. My brother has chronic pain from a motorcycle accident where he lost a leg and injured his back and shoulder, and he has to take something sometimes. It was seventeen years ago and he is not addicted, he only takes what he needs and he will always need help. Pain can be so all consuming and depressing. I hope your Doctor will pursue this more or refer you to a neurologist or some other appropriate doctor and that you will get a good work up to discover the source of your problems so you can get some help, too. God Bless!